Past Connections
by Obscurity Personified
Summary: Ash and Misty have not talked for eight years, due to a petty fight that forced them to part ways. What happens if they meet unexpectedly? AAMR
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. I don't know who actually does, but it sure as heck isn't me.  
  
A/N: Be nice. I haven't written a fic before. This is my first time. I'm usually a Beta. I will take creative criticism, but I use flames to toast marshmallows. Tell me what you think!  
  
Chapter one  
  
  
  
Misty Waterflower opened her door, immediately sensing something was wrong. Walking in, and leaving her bags of shopping on the kitchen bench, she spotted a trail of clothes; woman's clothes, leading to her bedroom. As she approached the bedroom she heard noises, and upon opening the door a fraction, came across a sight she least expected to see. Heatedly she strode into the kitchen, looked around, and picked up her carving knife. She walked back to her bedroom and threw open the door. The two entwined, naked figures on her bed; one being her boyfriend of six months and the other her best friend, Lydia, looked up in surprise.  
  
"You two-timing bastard" Misty said quietly, addressing her (ex) boyfriend, Peter. She wasn't screaming, but Peter knew that the quiet, controlled anger was Misty's most dangerous emotion.  
  
Peter covered himself and Lydia with a sheet. "Misty, honey, I can explain. We.we were -"  
  
"Let me guess, you were both discussing the décor of my bedroom, and you just fell on top of each other completely naked." Misty's voice was dripping with sarcasm "That's alright, dear, I understand. GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HOUSE BEFORE I HAVE TO TAKE YOU BOTH OUT IN PIECES!" Misty screamed, brandishing the kitchen knife, her face twisted with a cocktail of deadly emotions.  
  
Peter and Lydia scrambled out of bed, not daring to confront Misty while she was in such a mood. They hurriedly pulled on their clothes and ran out of the house, Lydia scrambling to pick up her strewn belongings from the floor as she followed Peter out the door.  
  
Misty watched them go. Her chest was heaving with anger and pain as she slowly began to put the shopping away. She slammed her fist down on the bench and began to cry, sinking down to sit on the floor, where she put her face in her hands and let out dry, hacking sobs. Her favourite pokemon, Togepi, poked his head out of one of the bags and teleported himself on to Misty's lap, his little hands glowing blue with psychic energy. Misty clutched the egg pokemon to her breast and rocked back and forth, letting tears roll down her cheeks and onto the comforting being.  
  
_*-*_  
  
Ash Ketchum sank low into the floral armchair, watching his best friend Brock take two beers out of the fridge. He directed his gaze to the many sleeping pokemon that littered Brock's house. Brock was a pokemon breeder; one of the world's best, in fact, and he had become famous for the healthy, happy and physically strong pokemon that he could produce. Brock handed Ash a beer and sat on the lounge across from him, fixing his slitted eyes piercingly on Ash's golden-brown ones.  
  
"What can I do for you Ash? I mean, I appreciate the visit, but I sense that there's something else. You haven't been yourself lately, so I've heard." Brock leaned forward in the armchair, "So, what's wrong, Buddy?"  
  
Ash looked down at the yellow pokemon on his lap, a Pikachu, who looked back up at him with round black eyes. Ash looked back to Brock, gently stroking Pikachu's pointed ears. "I'd tell you, but I don't know myself. I feel like there's something missing. I feel like I'm missing something, but I can't quite put my finger on it."  
  
"I'll tell you what you need, you need a woman. Someone who'll love you. It was a pity about You and Duplica, you two looked alright together. You would have had cute kids."  
  
Ash smiled slightly. Duplica and he had gone out for about three months, but found that they were to alike to get on well. They had agreed to part ways, always friends, but never again to be lovers. They had know that it would never have worked out. "She and I will never get back together. She's back at the House of Imite, and she said she's doing really well, she and Ditto are pulling massive crowds into all of her shows. I'm really happy for her."  
  
Brock lifted a sleeping Rattata onto his lap and began to brush it's brown fur, sensing a change in subject. "So, have you heard from Misty lately?"  
  
"You know I haven't. We haven't talked for eight years."  
  
Ash narrowed his eyes, remembering the day eight years ago, three days after becoming the youngest Pokemon Master in history. He was 14, and Misty was standing in front of him, yelling in his ear.  
  
"YOU ARE SO STUPID!"  
  
"I'm not the one who followed someone around for four years, just for some stupid bicycle!"  
  
"It was not a stupid bicycle. That bicycle was the best. The best!!!"  
  
"If it was so good, then why did it break apart after one fall?"  
  
"You are just trying to change the subject. Ash Ketchum, you never listen. You got us lost again! I told you Cerulean was this way, but no, you had to follow the map! We both know you do anything that requires the remotest intelligence, even if it is following lines off a dumb piece of paper. You are so stupid, you can't even read a map, I can't believe I followed you around f -"  
  
"Umm. Misty, I just became the world's youngest Pokemon Master. I think that required intelligence. You aren't even a water Pokemon master yet, so don't start on me about intelligence. Go home if you hate being with me so much. I can do without your continual whining. Brock left, you can go too. I'm not keeping you here. Go!"  
  
Misty's eyes welled up with tears. Ash immediately knew he had gone too far. He put his hand out in an apologetic gesture, "Look, Mist, I.. I didn't. you know I didn't -"  
  
Misty stood up straight; picked up her bag and Togepi, and glared at Ash. "If you hate me so much," she said calmly, "I will go home. I can't stand having to fight with you; day in, day out. I love you too much to have to stand this. I never want to see you again. Have a good life, Mister Ketchum."  
  
With this, Misty ran off into the woods, her long legs carrying her swiftly through the trees and into the darkness. Ash stared after her for a couple of seconds, then followed her through the darkness, but to no avail, she was already too far gone.  
  
He had tried to talk to her in Cerulean, but her three sisters prevented him from even yelling up at her window.  
  
"Like, don't even bother, Ash" said Daisy.  
  
"She is, like, really mad at you" continued Violet  
  
"Misty wouldn't talk to you, even if you, like, begged." finished Lily.  
  
Ash looked imploringly at the three sisters. Each stared unrelentingly back.  
  
"Can't you just. I don't know. Tell her I'm really, really sorry?"  
  
The three girls looked at him for a minute, each blinked three times and then turned around. "No" they said, perfectly synchronised. They walked back into Cerulean Gym leaving Ash with the feeling that he had talked to not three girls, but one.  
  
Ash tried to speak to Misty again and again, but she was stubborn. Ash hadn't spoken to her again since that night in the woods. But he wished that he had.  
  
Ash returned to the present, prompted by Brock waving his hand in front of Ash's face. "Hey, buddy, come back to Earth. Man, you looked seriously out of it."  
  
Ash looked at him, "What should I do, Brock? I'm tired of sitting around in the house all day. I can't help but feel that I'm needed somewhere."  
  
As of old, Brock once again took up the position of problem solver. His forehead creased and he bowed his head, deep in thought. "Why don't you travel somewhere? Just pack your bags and walk out. Go traveling, like we used to in the old days. You've probably got a case of cabin fever.. you're sick of staying in the one place too long."  
  
Ash looked at Brock, "Well, I do have to go to the city to get some stuff for Mum and Professor Oak. Maybe I'll just walk there, go the long way. See who I meet along the way. Great idea Brock."  
  
"I'd come with you, but I've got things to take care of here. You'll be alright, you are a Pokemon Master after all, it's got to count for something." Ash smiled at the over-used title that he had worked so hard for so many years ago.  
  
"Thanks Brock. Knew you'd help me out."  
  
_*-*_  
  
Misty sat on a rock in the middle of the main Aquarium at the Gym. Around her, water-pokemon swam, celebrating the victory that she had just obtained over a young trainer. She disliked the duties that came along with being a member of the Waterflower Family. She hated deadening the morale of young pokemon trainers, it reminded her of a certain trainer-turned-master that she had traveled with years ago. Ash Ketchum. She knew that the reasons for leaving him were insignificant, but she had made herself hate him, forced herself to run. Every time she had looked at him, she could feel the fountain of emotion welling up inside of her. She knew that everyday spent with him was another step towards admitting the feelings that she almost knew he wouldn't reciprocate. She forced herself to hate him to stop herself from falling too deep for him. And it had worked.  
  
Misty looked up and shook the memories from her thoughts. She dove back into the water with the grace of a mermaid. Letting the water wash away her troubles, she tickled the stomach of a passing Dewgong before rising to the surface. Her sister Violet walked to the side of the tank to greet her.  
  
"Misty, we have, like, totally traded all of our Goldeen to the trainers. We need more for breeding. Lily just, like, sold our main breeding mother for a fortune. You'll have to go capture about a dozen more." Violet piled a basket full of fishing tackle and a belt of pokeballs in front of Misty. "Like, have fun!"  
  
Misty hauled herself from the aquarium, and proceeded to dry her hair "But. why me? Can't you send one of the workers out to do it? That is what we pay them for after all."  
  
"Lily, Daisy and I think you, like, really need to get out of town for a while. Get over that whole 'Peter, Peter, Lydia Eater' fiasco. You've been, like, moping around all week. He was a bastard, he so doesn't deserve your tears over him. We think you'll feel better if you go somewhere to get over it. We put some money in the basket and we left your bag outside of your room. Pack some clothes and, like, leave for a few days. Just make sure you come back with a dozen Goldeen. Bye!"  
  
Violet turned and left the room before Misty could argue. Misty walked back up to her room, silently puzzling over what she should do. She packed her bag with food for herself and the Pokemon, and left the gym without a word. Without even bothering looking where she was going, she unconsciously found herself in Viridian Forest. The familiar trees and paths drawing her further inside, until she found herself in the thick of the woods. Togepi trilled happily in the long grasses, following it's mistress. Misty sat beside a stream, under a huge tree; and pulled out the fishing tackle and began to fish, knowing that it would take hours to hook a Goldeen in a tiny creek like this. This just gave her time to think.  
  
Peter looked up at her from the ground outside her window on the third storey apartment building, once his home, but now he was not welcome.  
  
"Misty, please, just listen to me. Lydia meant nothing, she was just -"  
  
"Oh, so you destroyed our relationship over nothing! Well that's just great to know. Now I don't feel so guilty doing THIS!" screamed Misty, from the window. She yanked his X-box from the wall and threw it out the window, aiming for Peter's head.  
  
Peter dodged the rapidly falling object, cringing as one of his most expensive possessions split into a million bits as it hit the sidewalk. "No, I didn't mean it like that. Misty, why don't I just come up and get all my stuff, maybe take it home in boxes rather than having to take it all home in pieces." He looked at all his possessions; including all of his beer from the fridge, his television and his clothes, most of which was damaged and soiled.  
  
"No. This is much more satisfying. I want your stuff to feel how our relationship is. Broken. Here, this is the last of it! Take it and leave, I never, ever want to see you again." Misty hurled a box full of CD's and records, along with the stereo, out the window and onto the pavement below. She listened, enjoying the crash and the moan as it hit the ground, and the owner inspected the damage that had been done.  
  
"Misty. Misty! I'm sorry! Please, can't I just come up and we can talk? Please?" Misty ignored the pleading that filtered up from the street. She knew it could go on for hours, so she settled down on the couch with a glass of wine and a book to accompany her grief. Slowly, the sweet feeling of revenge left her and misery began to take hold. Loneliness, she knew, would eventually get a grip, and she would regret not giving Peter a second chance. After two days of wallowing in self-pity, Misty packed up her things and moved to Cerulean Gym.  
  
Misty dried her eyes. She hated remembering anything about Peter. Suddenly, her rod jerked, and Misty reeled in a tiny Horsea. The baby Pokemon flailed about on the bank of the river, desperately trying to get a hold of something. Misty took pity on it and picked it up in one hand. She released it back into the water and sat back down to watch it swim away.  
  
_*-*_  
  
Ash walked through the familiar woods, enjoying the way the sun fell through the trees and dappled the ground with specks of light. Pikachu followed behind him, picking berries off bushes and stuffing them into his tiny mouth. Ash smiled, Pikachu's fur was covered in berry juice stains. They walked on the paths that wound around the trees, and Ash looked around, spotting a stream, perfect for washing the berry stains from Pikachu's fur. As he approached, he noticed a figure leaning against a tree, fishing rod in it's hand. There was something disturbingly familiar about this scene, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Ash ignored it, and leaned by the stream, urging Pikachu into the water.  
  
"Come on, Buddy. Just get in the water Pikachu. If you ate slower, you wouldn't get juice all over you." Pikachu sat by the stream, refusing to get in. Ash picked it up and put it in the water, dodging a tiny thunderbolt that was aimed at his hand. "No need for that, Pikachu. I'll just wash you off. Sit still!" Ash didn't realise there was someone watching him, curiously.  
  
_*-*_  
  
Misty watched as a young man came closer to the water, talking to himself. She looked closer, thinking he was mentally unstable, until she saw the small yellow Pokemon in his hand. He talked to the pokemon, pleaded with the stubborn thing, then he picked it up and put it in the water. It showed it's dismay via shooting a spark of energy in the man's direction.  
  
Misty couldn't help but notice that this guy was fairly handsome. His black hair fell in soft spikes over his face, which he blew away with a gust of breath from his lips. His hair evidently was a source of irritation to the young man. He was tall, over six foot by the look of it, and was very athletic looking. A sense of protective power gave him a likeable aura. She couldn't see all of his face, but knew that it would be an expressive one. There was something familiar about this stranger, but Misty couldn't quite think of why. She looked down at the pokemon in his hands, and suddenly it dawned on her. This wasn't any stranger.  
  
_*-*_  
  
After five minutes of futilely trying to scrub the stains off of the relentless pokemon, Ash gave in and allowed the pokemon to get out of the water. He felt eyes on him, and he stood up and turned in the direction of the stare. He beheld a young woman. A beautiful young woman. Her dark red hair cascaded down her back, giving it the look of deep red wine. Her dark blue eyes stared back into his, and he glanced at her pale skin, illuminated by the darkness of her hair. Over a pert nose was a small spattering of freckles that gave the face personality, and her light pink lips frowned bemusedly as she stared at him. He looked at the fishing equipment that lay around her, and his eyes fell on the small egg pokemon that sat chirruping gleefully in the grass. Suddenly it dawned on him.  
  
"Misty?"  
  
"Ash?" 


	2. Acquaintances

Chapter Two ~~ Acquaintances ~~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon. I do, however, own an extensive collection of empty jam jars which I am quite willing to sell for a profit.  
  
Ash and Misty stared at each other for a few minutes, each utterly tongue- tied as to what to say. What do you say to someone you haven't seen for eight years? Ash moved his light-brown eyes from her deep-blue ones, and searched the ground, as if it held all the answers to his problems. He said the first thing that came to his head.  
  
"Long time, no see, Misty. Y-you're looking well." This, Ash thought, was an understatement. The beauty that was beginning to show when he had first met her had bloomed to meet its full potential.  
  
Misty stared back, a look of indignation in her eyes "How can you speak like that, as if we are just friends that have come across each other in the street. I remember telling you that I never wanted to see you again. I still stand by it. We are not friends. Leave, Ash Ketchum, I don't want to see your face."  
  
Ash frowned, puzzled as to why Misty was still acting hostile after so long. "Misty, it's been eight years. Surely you can forgive and forget. It wasn't even that much of a big argument that you left over." He looked into Misty's unrelenting eyes, "Look, I'm sorry if I offended you so much that there was enough hostility to spread over so long. We were best friends. Doesn't that count for anything. Let's just shake hands and be friends. Please?" Ash pleaded, holding out his hand.  
  
_*-*_  
  
Misty looked at the proffered hand, her features softening as she remembered the pre-adolescent boy that she had traveled with long ago. She made a movement as if to take his hand, but drew back quickly, remembering the reasons for leaving in the first place. She couldn't let herself fall in love with Ash again. She wouldn't let herself fall in love with him again. She turned her eyes away, and inspected the small stream where she had been fishing.  
  
~~ Ten year-old Misty Waterflower was sitting by the creek, fishing rod in hand. She had come here, as she often did, to escape the constant abuse she suffered from her three sisters. It was hard being the youngest. Daisy, Lily and Violet were always favored more by their parents than Misty was. They always got new pokemon, new clothes, new toys, and Misty got what they didn't want anymore. Hand-me-downs. The very thought of the word made her feel sick. She would have been able to handle life at home if it weren't for the fact that her sisters constantly picked on her. They called her "The Runt," because she hadn't inherited the natural beauty of the family, she didn't look like her sisters. They picked at her scrawny frame, her flat chest, her bright orange hair and her second-hand clothes. And she accepted it from them.  
  
Misty was wallowing in loneliness and self-pity, so it totally surprised her when her felt a heavy tug on her line. She hauled her catch to the bank of the creek with difficulty and was shocked. There lay one very bedraggled- looking boy and a poor, wet pikachu. Naturally, she was worried about the pokemon.  
  
"Are you alright?" Asked Misty, addressing the small, yellow (and very wet) pokemon.  
  
The boy looked up, evidently thinking she was talking to him, "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"Not you!" exclaimed Misty indignantly, "Your pokemon."  
  
The boy looked at the pokemon, concern evident in his eyes. The Pikachu looked away angrily. He came closer and inspected the pokemon from a shorter distance, as if afraid of the Pikachu's power. Misty was almost touched at how much he seemed to care for it. "I'm not sure if Pikachu's alright."  
  
"There's a Pokemon Centre nearby, just go that way" She said, pointing the direction of the nearest town." She looked away, breaking the stare that the two had shared. She turned around and saw the Boy and his Pikachu riding away. on her bike.  
  
"I'll get it back to you somehow. Thanks!"  
  
When Misty had caught up with the boy again, she found out the fate of the bike. She didn't really care about it that much, it had belonged to Violet only days before, but she recognised the opportunity to escape from home. She packed a small bag, her pokemon belt and all her savings. Leaving a note for her family, she ran away and caught up with the boy, making the excuse that she was going to follow him until he bought her a new bike.  
  
Little did she know that she would follow that boy for four years. Little did she know that that boy would become more important to her than anyone else on Earth. Little did she know that she would harbour feelings for that boy unlike any she had ever felt before. ~~  
  
_*-*_  
  
Ash lowered his hand, Misty had stood in the one place for about three minutes; her eyes glazed and a slight frown on her face, as though remembering something unpleasant that happened long ago. Ash stared at her, puzzled as to why someone who he had been friend's with for so many years could be hostile over such a small thing.  
  
"Look, Mist, just tell me what I did wrong. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this. I still don't know what I did wrong."  
  
Misty looked at him incredulously "You are apologizing for something you don't even think you did? I can tell you what you did. You threw my dreams back in my face. You knew that I had always wanted to be a Water Pokemon Master, but you just couldn't help gloating that you had reached your dream before me. It hurt so much."  
  
"I don't believe you. You were always insulting me. Putting me down. Treating me like a child. I make one tiny comment back because I'm sick of your whining, and you get up and leave! All of a sudden, everything is my fault. I always thought you had thicker skin than that, Misty!" Ash yelled, exasperated at Misty's stubbornness.  
  
Misty glared at Ash. Ash glared straight back. They continued glaring at each other for a few minutes until Ash noticed Misty's lips twitching at the corners. She broke the gaze and began to laugh. A nice laugh, Ash couldn't help but notice. He watched in amusement as she sat on the ground and hid her face in her hands to try and stop herself. Her laugh was so infectious that he soon joined her, sitting on the ground, it was just like old times, he thought. Misty looked up, her eyes filled with tears of laughter.  
  
"I can't believe I'm so stubborn."  
  
"I've known it for years."  
  
"Gee, thanks. You sure know how to comfort a girl."  
  
"It's true though. C'mon, let's just shake hands and be friends again."  
  
_*-*_  
  
It felt good to laugh again. She hadn't done it for so long. There had been something about the way they were arguing that took her back to the days of her youth. She couldn't help but laugh at how childish they were both being. She looked down at his hand, and took it in hers.  
  
"How about we'll agree to be acquaintances again. I'm not sure if I'm ready to be friends with you just yet. We'll just agree not to be openly hostile." She said, looking Ash in the eye.  
  
"I'll go along with that. Good morning, nice to meet you ma'am, my name is Ash Ketchum.. And you are..?" He joked, shaking her hand politely.  
  
Misty slapped him playfully "You're still as much of an idiot as you were eight years ago. What have you been doing all these years, Mr Ketchum?"  
  
"Mostly helping my Mother out. She opened a Pokemon Refuge Centre with Professor Oak. They take care of sick, injured and neglected pokemon. I was involved with the Pokemon Council for a while, but retired because the meetings bored me to tears. I swear those people never laugh." Ash looked at her "What have you been doing with yourself these past years, Miss Waterflower. I do presume that you are still *Miss* Waterflower?"  
  
Misty sighed "Yup, still single. I did have a boyfriend, but I found him in an awkward position with my best friend. Don't you worry, I made sure he would regret it. I've just been helping out at the gym with my Sisters. They're a lot nicer now that they're older. I trained to be a Water Pokemon Master, and got my badge. So, I'm paid rather well by the Pokemon Council every time a trainer comes into town looking for a challenge. My sisters kicked me out of the gym for a while because they reckon that I'm moping over my boyfriend. What would they know?" She wasn't talking to Ash, she was talking to herself almost.  
  
"Well, Brock as good as told me to get out of town for a few weeks, so I'm traveling as well." Ash looked at her, suddenly awkward, like a schoolboy about to ask the teacher a personal question "Wanna come with me? We'll travel together. Just like old times. Maybe we can be friends again, rather than just acquaintances. So, will you walk with me, just for a few days?"  
  
Misty looked at him, thinking hard. She wanted to, but something niggled in her heart, telling her to remember why she left in the first place. She ignored it and nodded.  
  
"Sure, Ash. I'd love to.  
  
A/N: Golly. I didn't expect to actually get any reviews. I got lots! I really appreciate it. Thanks! I hope you liked this chapter. I didn't really know what to write, I didn't think it was possible to have writer's block on only the second chapter of a story, but I got it out eventually. Oh, and in regards to one review; I gave Misty freckles because the way I see it, anyone who has pale skin with dark red hair is bound to be cursed with them. Thanks for the review, though! Love you all!  
  
Keep up the reviews, they encourage me to keep going. 


End file.
